Having performance issues with MySQL but don’t know why? The kids over at RackerHacker have released a free, open source tool that might be able to help.

MySQLTuner is a script written in Perl that will assist you with your MySQL configuration and make recommendations for increased performance and stability. Within seconds, it will display statistics about your MySQL installation and the areas where it can be improved.

For kicks, I ran it on my local development box, and here’s its report:

As you can see, MySQLTuner actually had some pretty good advice. Of course it won’t replace your local neighborhood MySQL expert, but it’s probably a good starting point, and its results just might surprise you.